Legacy Foundation, Lake County’s leading philanthropic partner, invites youth from throughout Northwest Indiana to participate in a night of poetry, spoken word and youth empowerment with nationally recognized author and speaker Basheer Jones, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 31, at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster.

The evening will feature readings by Jones, a poet, youth activist and philanthropist who previously visited Northwest Indiana in January to keynote the annual Mentor Summit. Five local high school students also will be selected to read their own poetry.

Attendees are asked to dress in business attire, and will have the opportunity to view professional artwork on display in the Center’s atrium as well as experience the poetry readings and motivational comments by Jones.

“This truly is a one-of-a-kind event for young people in Northwest Indiana to experience a professional evening of arts and culture, while hearing an inspiring message from a young leader,” said Barry Tyler, Jr., Community Initiatives Officer for Legacy Foundation. “Youth services organizations would benefit from bringing groups of participants.”

The event, hosted by Legacy Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Council, is offered free of charge. Participants can purchase a copy of Jones’ new book, “Speak for Change,” for $15 and have it signed by the author during a reception following the poetry reading.

Legacy Foundation, Lake County’s leading philanthropic partner, today (May 2) held a lively Town Hall session with more than 100 representatives from area nonprofit organizations to educate them about important new resources and tools offered by the foundation.

“Legacy Foundation has been granting funds into the community and building partnerships with area nonprofits for 20 years,” said Harry J. Vande Velde III, president and chief executive officer. “We are proud to bring the area’s nonprofit sector the next level of collaboration tools, training and development opportunities and online resources that will help them raise money and build capacity. This will, over the long term, benefit the people of Lake County by enhancing the delivery of services from these organizations.”

The Think Tank at Legacy Foundation

Legacy Foundation introduced The Think Tank at Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit mentoring and resource center. Through The Think Tank, Legacy Foundation staff and partners will help the area’s nonprofit sector solve problems and enhance nonprofit organizations’ capacity to deliver services.

A primary focus for The Think Tank at Legacy Foundation over the next year will be building communities of practice. Communities of practice bring together participants including nonprofit members, business professionals, civic leaders, religious leaders, funders and donors to build innovative partnerships that address community needs. The participants share their knowledge in specific service areas, which may include arts and culture, education, the environment and human services.

The Think Tank at Legacy Foundation is led by Director Trish Alt, who brings an extensive background in community foundation leadership and nonprofit collaboration to Legacy Foundation.

New grant opportunities

Legacy Foundation announced a new grantmaking strategy designed to strengthen the Lake County community.

“We define a strong Lake County community as one where informed and engaged citizens want to live, work, worship and play,” said Lara Kalwinski, Legacy Foundation vice president. “Our nonprofit community thrives as we dedicate ourselves to the collaborative spirit and to demonstrating collective impact.”

Nonprofit Training – up to $2,000 for organizations seeking professional guidance on how to manage their operations, programming, and fundraising

Transforming Lake County – programming that relates to a measure of improved economic, social or environmental well-being

Informed and Engaged Urban Communities – grants from the John S. and James L. Knight Fund for organizations bringing residents together to collectively address issues residents identify as important and to take action in ways they themselves deem appropriate

Improving Student Success – for organizations working to increase high school graduation rates, college and career opportunities

Supporting Hobart Seniors – grants from the Maria Reiner Senior Citizens Fund to support a vibrant senior community in Hobart

Online fundraising platform

Legacy Foundation also introduced an online donor engagement platform that enables nonprofit organizations to fundraise directly from the community with minimal effort and no cost. By simply clicking on the “Give in Lake County” button on Legacy Foundation’s newly redesigned website, www.legacyfdn.org, a 501(c)(3) organization can post and promote a need to the community.

Members of the public are encouraged to visit Legacy Foundation’s website often, click on “Give in Lake County,” and view local needs. Giving even a small amount can help an organization make a difference in the community.

$10,000 Cara Spicer Award

Vande Velde announced the application process for the Cara Spicer Award, a $10,000 one-time award to be made later this year to a Lake County organization.

Applicants for the award must have participated in Legacy Foundation’s previous Great Lake Award Initiative workshops for at least three years and must not have received the Great Lake Award for Excellence. Applications will be available via Legacy Foundation’s website June 1, with completed applications due August 1. The award will be presented in late fall.

For more details on all these programs, see Legacy Foundation’s newly redesigned website at www.legacyfdn.org.

Legacy Foundation, Lake County’s leading philanthropic partner, invites area nonprofits to learn about new tools and resources that can help build their organizations at an informational session from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 2, at the South Shore Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, 7770 Corinne Drive, Hammond.

Legacy Foundation will launch its nonprofit mentoring and resource center, The Think Tank at Legacy Foundation. The Think Tank at Legacy Foundation will help the area’s nonprofit sector solve problems and enhance their capacity to deliver quality services. Participants in the session will learn how to access resources offered by The Think Tank at Legacy Foundation, including: convening and facilitation of communities of practice; a newly redesigned website; meeting space; research, data collection and analysis; and a donor engagement platform that can enhance local fundraising.

Also during the Town Hall session, nonprofit organizations will gain insight into Legacy Foundation’s updated grantmaking strategy. In addition, Legacy Foundation will announce how to apply for the $10,000 Cara Spicer Award.

Seats for the Town Hall session are limited. Organizations that wish to send a representative are asked to RSVP to legacy@legacyfdn.org or (219) 736-1880 by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 30.

Basheer Jones, a poet, motivational speaker, radio host and activist, will keynote Northwest Indiana’s third annual Mentor Summit, scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 27 at the Library Conference Center at Indiana University Northwest.

The summit offers organizers of youth mentoring programs, and adults interested in mentoring youth, information about creating effective and sustainable mentoring opportunities. Registration is $25 per person, including lunch. Registration at the door is $35. The Mentor Summit is produced by the Center for Mentors co-op members and is held each January during National Mentoring Month.

At 27, Jones has achieved a reputation as an engaging and inspiring leader. He hails from Cleveland, Ohio, by way of Brooklyn, N.Y. He credits the influence of a mentoring program during high school, and its leader who became a “father figure” to him, with much of his inspiration to pursue his dreams. He went on to graduate from Morehouse College with honors, is an acclaimed spoken word artist, Essence Award winner, was the youngest news talk radio host in the country, and founded The Basheer Jones Foundation. He was a leader of youth voter registration efforts and community rallies during the 2008 presidential election.

“Like Basheer, most successful adults can point to at least one person who influenced their lives when they were younger,” said Harry J. Vande Velde III, president and chief executive officer of Legacy Foundation. “Mentoring can improve a child’s educational experience as well as opportunities for the future. We have terrific resources in Northwest Indiana to create and support a variety of mentoring programs, and this summit gives the business and non-profit communities tools to further those resources.”

Breakout sessions during the Mentor Summit will include:

Elements of effective practice, facilitated by Cindy Borden, a trainer, facilitator and technical assistance provider with more than 15 years of experience in youth development.

Building quality mentoring relationships based on best practices, facilitated by Dr. Clara Giles Carter, Ed.D., president of Management Consultant Services, a human resource management firm that has provided technical assistance in building and maintaining collaborations directed to community outreach in preparing youth for the future workforce.

Attendees also will participate in a session on outcome evaluation, or tools for evaluating mentoring programs, presented by Candice Singleton of the Indiana Youth Institute.

For more information and to register for the Mentor Summit, contact Eric Evans at Geminus Corporation at (219) 757-1883 or eric.evans@geminus.org.

New this year, Jones also will speak at a Teen Summit to be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26, at the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority, 7770 Corrine Drive, Hammond. This event is free and open to the first 100 students who register. Contact Barry Tyler at btyler@legacyfoundationlakeco.org for more information.

The Center for Mentors is an initiative of Legacy Foundation facilitated in partnership with Geminus Prevention Services. Since its founding in 2010, the Center has trained more than 150 people to work with youth through virtual and place-based strategies to promote mentoring in Northwest Indiana.